Cluster migraines, as the name implies, come all at once, and it’s extremely unwelcome news for the person experiencing them. The pain is not only intense, but it comes on within just 5 minutes of the initial pain. If you experience migraines, it’s important to know the types of symptoms you have and how a doctor might classify them. We’ll tell you what you need to know about who they affect and how they’re typically triggered.
Typically these will come on quickly with pain that can feel like a burning sensation, and they can start when you’re asleep or when you’re awake. While they may last for 15 minutes up to 2 hours, they can come back multiple times every day and can last for months. Cluster migraines are almost exclusively felt on one side of the head and have been described as throbbing or piercing. The eye on the side affected may become puffy or red. People generally have them in the same month or season once or sometimes twice a year, but they may attribute the pain to allergies (due to another common symptom: a runny nose) or potentially even stress. Like all migraines, the direct cause is unknown but it is linked to one particular nerve in the face which, when triggered, can make people extremely uncomfortable to the point of feeling like they can’t handle it.
Typically it affects young people who have the disease in their families, and you’re more likely to get them if you’re male. However, you can get them at any age, even if they don’t run in your family. Alcohol and smoking do seem to be linked to cluster headaches as well, but according to the Mayo Clinic, quitting seems to do little to cure it. Fortunately, they are the least common type of headache, affecting about 1 in every 1,000 people, though it’s worth noting that people may classify them as allergies and not cluster migraines.
Unlike common migraines, cluster migraines are not necessarily brought on by weather changes. Instead, watch for these triggers:
Dr. Smith has dedicated much of his life to eliminating painful migraines from his patients’ lives, and he has made significant strides in his research. By seeing thousands of people, he managed to isolate key areas that seemed to be the problem: bone spurs or deviated septums. He then made it his mission to correct these imbalances in his patients so they could live pain free, and he managed to accomplish this with 9 out of 10 patients he treated.
To find out more about the Smith Life and whether or not it can work for you, call Smith Center at (713) 795-0600 for more information.
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At the Smith Sinus Migraine Institute, we offer the very best in facial plastic surgery procedures, including facelift, rhinoplasty, and eyelid surgery. Led by renowned board certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Kevin Smith, we only provide the highest quality patient care and use only the latest in medical technology and surgical techniques.